It’s on again. The AdNews Challenge will be run and won on 17 November at Clifton Gardens Reserve, Mosman, with a longer, harder course, new categories including a kids challenge and a new major sponsor, Body+Soul.
Last year’s inaugural event was a tremendous success with more than 500 competitors from the advertising, media and marketing industry slogging it out over the 14-kilometre track that included run, bike, kayak and swimming legs. Sean Keating and Sarah Webb took out the individual male and female gold medals while M&C Saatchi and Whybin TBWA took out the team relay challenge.
This year the challenge has been intensified with the kayak leg doubling to two kilometres, the bike leg almost doubling to 12 kilometres and the swim having 200 metres added for a 600 metre splash in total. The running leg has been eased to a single 4.8 kilometre dash rather than two legs of the inaugural event.
“It’s hard to say what was more enjoyable – competing in the race or almost running over Tony Abbott at the southern bike turn,” M&C Saatchi’s Sarah Webb said. “Smashing into your competitors’ boats also made for much hilarity, the laughter probably hindered physically but helped everyone mentally throughout the race. Long course is what we’re all good at so bring on the 2013 challenge.”
As with last year, 10% of all registration fees for the event will go directly to the Un Ltd charity (formerly Mayday). Teams are also encouraged to enter the fundraising competition aspect of the challenge where they compete to source sponsorship, which all goes to Un Ltd. The fundraising tally will be updated weekly on the official website so teams can monitor their progress against one another.
“The AdNews Challenge was a huge success in 2012 with $100,000 raised for Un Ltd,” Un Ltd general manager Carol Morris said. “These funds were deployed to KidsXpress, supporting 40 young people in need through their intensive three-month program designed for those who have suffered from trauma and physical and emotional abuse. This year we would love to triple the amount raised and disperse it across Un Ltd’s 2013 portfolio of great youth-focused not-for-profit organisations.”
Aside from the additional length and loftier fundraising goals, the AdNews Challenge has also been extended to children. Age groups are six, seven to nine and 10-12 years, each with differing course lengths to compete on. Children’s registration is free for all adults competing in the event with the children’s events being run after the adult races.
Body+Soul has come on board as the main sponsor of the 2013 AdNews Challenge. “Time and time again we find the biggest issue that stops Aussies leading a healthy lifestyle is time itself,” NewsLifeMedia health and lifestyle publisher Nick Smith said. “We and the health industry have responded to this. I hope to see a mix of entrants, from the head honchos to those just starting out in the industry, so some clearing of diaries for the big day should be done now.”
Registrations are now open! For more information and to sign up head to: AdNewsChallenge.com.au
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